Ball point pen



Sept. 14, 1940 F. E. GRUBER 2,449,218

BALL POINT PEN Filed Dec. 2'7, 1945 93 9 N m N o N 3 '3 O 00 N N IO N 9.

O 2 '1 (9 u I E E d y N N N N INVENTOR FRANCIS E. GRUBER Patented Sept. 14, 1948 UNITED s rates ear E'NT oasFi-cL-E Francis :EA Grnber,:.:St.i,Paiui,ilMinn.;s assignor: to .kBrowmdzw-Bigelow, St. Paul, EMinn.

Application December 27, 1945," Seiia1..N0."637;327

.151 (Llaims.

1 My invention relates to' a fountain pen wherein "arepla'ceable ink reservoir unit'is slideably'posltioned'within the casing of the pen. -l1 provide *means for automatically releasing the writing "pointof'the pen back into the casing to conceal the writing'pointby thecasing itself. My pen does not require an extra -'cap over. thewriting point for closing the pen.

A feature of my invention resides in forming a pocket clip for holdingthe peninones pocket, which clip isformed with a sprin end adaptedto release a spring trigger earried by the ink' res- 'ervoiror unit andbymeans of a spring within the casingthe entire unit isautomatically moved longitudinally to concealthe writing point of the I pen.

" This "pen is designed'with 'a ball writing point and the ink chamber is adapted'tosupplya viscousnon-drying'ink having a'controlled surface 'tension'which ink is adapted to be carried'out Figure 2 is a similar section to Figure 1 showing the writing ball projectedbut of the casingin awriting'. position.

The fountain pen A is formed with an ink reservoir unit B which is slideably mounted in the casing ID of the pen A.

The ink unit B is held by the pin I I from rotation within the casing Hi. The pin I I is anchored to the rear end of and projects from the outer surface of the ink unit B and slides in the longitudinal slot 12 formed in the collar I3 which is anchored in the casing ID.

The writing end of the casing It] includes the conical writing tip it which is threaded at IE to the casing barrel iii. Thus the tip [4 may be removed When desired.

At the rear end of the casing I I provide a col-- lar it which is threaded at H to the casing. The collar I6 may be removed so that the ink reservoir unit B may be withdrawn out of the casing [B when desired.

:tratedin FigurefZ.

i2,1the.lug 24 Theunit :B'is freely '-=slideable longitudinally in the "casing it and is adapted to be urged in =-a backward direction by the coil spring is which is located -in 1i theWriting tip It. The coil spring ie-acts to push the-entire unit -B backward into the position illustrated inFigure '1 with the annular shoulder =l 9 formed on the r021 2t which is "anchore'clinthe rear" end of 'the in'k-unit B in any suitablemanner. h hea'd 2i projects from the rocl 2li which slides through the collar lB-an'dinte exposed position asillustrated in Figure 1 1 when the writing ball 22 is drawn inside the casing of the pen A asillustrated in Figure l.

*Aspringoatch Z3'is" held by the rod til :to the unit B. Thespring ES is provided with a lug 2d which i; engages in the opening "25 formed in the casing to. Thusathe spring cats-1123 with the lug 24 engagediin thempening251actstdhold the ink unit and writing "ball 22 Lin writing position as-illustrated infigurefl. The writing'balltfi and the unitB a-re forced into writingpoeition by pressing upon .the outeriendofthe head..-l., .This

causes thespringcatchdii to engage-in theopen :ingi25 withthelugZd projectingithrough opening end'with 1 thezspring i8 fullyrcompressedtas illus A pocket clip C is securedtothecasing iii and .isfiormed withiaspring armLES to the bail end 2? ior holding the: .pen. A in 2a persons pocket when ibis; not-being used. i

The 1 clip=.C iisriormecl -with a spring 'tail end i 28 :having :a knob29 positioned directly over the ;opening :25.

'When thereservoir B andthe writingxzballiflare in the position' illustrated inrFigure is directly beneath the hall end 29. Whenitds: desiredito release the wrting unitB .backrwinto the casin -Hi it. is only necessary for the operator to press the tail end 23 of the clip C to force the lug 24 by the ball end 29 out of the opening 25, whereupon the spring It acts to automatically move the entire ink unit B back into the casing of the pen A, thus automatically releasing the writing tip 22 from writing position into the inoperative position illustrated in Figure l.

The pen normally may be carried in the users pocket, retained therein by the clip C and with the writing ball 22 concealed in the casing of the pen A.

When the pen A is desired for use the writing ball 22 may be moved into writing position by pressing upon the knob or end 2| causing the lug 24 to engage in the opening 25 and hold the ink unit B in writing position. When it is desired to replace the ink unit B with a new unit filled with ink, it is only necessary to remove the collar I6 whereupon the spring l8 will p h h unit B out of the rearend of the casing far enough so that the unit B may be readily engaged and removed from the casing. The casing of the pen 'A may also be taken apart by removing the writing end M from the barrel portion I 0.

My clip C is designed with the spring tail end 28 to release the unit B from writing position to the inoperative position as illustrated in Figure 1 whenever it i desired.

This pen A is designed to use an ink reservoir B which is filled at the factory with a viscous ink having a controlled viscosity and wherein the capillary attraction is designed to flow toward and against the writing ball 22 until the entire casing B is empty and needs to be replaced. A

pen of this character does not need to be filled very often, and the ink used therein does not require a blotter as the ink line is uniformly controlled by the size of the ball.

- The operation of my pen A is simple, and the primary facts herein contained reside in an ink reservoir unit B which may be moved longitudinally in the casing automatically by pressing on the rear end of the pocket clip without affecting in any manner whatsoever the spring arm 26 which normally holds the pen A in a persons pocket. Furthermore the spring means for moving the reservoir in its entirety in abackward direction, and the spring catch 23 with the lug 24 form the primary features of this invention.

I claim: 1. A capless fountain pen having a tubular casing, a slidable ink reservoir unit positioned within the casing, spring means for moving said reservoir in a backward direction to conceal the writing point within the casing, a shoulder for controlling the backward movement of the ink unit, a pocket clip attached to said casing, a spring tail end formed on said pocket clip, and a spring catch carried by said ink unit which is adapted to be released by said spring tail of said pocket clip when the same is depressed, whereupon said spring means automatically moves said ink unit and writing tip longitudinally in said casing to conceal the writing tip when the same is not desired for use.

2.- A capless fountain pin including a casing, an ink reservoir unit having a writing ball mounted on one end, a pressable knob formed on the rear end of said ink reservoir, a spring catch carried by said reservoir unit adapted to engage in a recess formed in said casing to hold said unit with the ball in writing position, a spring normally urging said reservoir unit in a backward direction out of writing position, and a pocket clip having a rear spring end for engaging said catch to release the same when said end of said clip is depressed; whereby said ink unit and writing tip are automatically moved to conceal the writing tip within the casing when said catch is released.

3. A capless fountain pen including a replaceable ink unit having a writing ball on the forward end thereof, a casing for enclosing said ink unit, a spring catch carried by said unit for holding the same in writing position, spring means for normally urging said unit in a backward direction in said casing, and a, spring arm formed on the rear end of a pocket clip adapted to release said catch and cause said spring to move said unit to a position within said casing to cover the writing ball and protect the same when not in use.

4. A fountain pen having a tubular casing open on each end, an ink reservoir unit having a writing ball on one end and a head on the other end which normally projects out of the rear end of said casing when said unit is in a position within said casing to conceal the writing end of the unit therein, a, spring catch carried by said unit adapted to engage in a recess in said casing when said unit is moved by pressing against the rear end of the unit to force the same into writing position, a coil spring extending around the forward end of said unit adapted to urge said unit in a backward direction, a pocket clip having a spring pocket engaging arm end, and a spring arm extending in line with end projecting from the rear of said pocket clip adapted to form a trigger which is adapted to be pressed to release said catch, whereupon said coil spring automatically moves said unit longitudinally in said casing to conceal the writing end of said unit within said casing.

5. A capless fountain pen includin a casing, a removable replaceable ink reservoir unit having a writing ball mounted in one end, a spring catchfor holding said unit in writing position, a spring arm projecting from the rear of a pocket clip for releasing said catch, and a coil spring extending around the front of said unit and concealed in said casing for automatically moving said unit out of writing position to conceal the writing ball within the casing.

FRANCIS E. GRUBER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date a Biro May 21,1946

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